FREE AGENTS

Vikings Still Hesitant To Sign Sidney Rice In Free Agency?

In a post by Kevin Seifert he writes “A lot of you are wondering why the Vikings weren’t more aggressive in their attempts to re-sign a 24-year-old receiver who is one year removed from an 83-catch season. Part of it, I think, can be attributed to Rice’s interest in at least testing the market. It’s not often a player of his age qualifies for unrestricted free agency. (Remember, he entered the NFL as a 20-year-old.)

But I think the surgery Rice had on his hip last summer, known as a mircrofracture procedure, has at least given the Vikings pause as they contemplate how much of a future financial commitment they might make to him. Are they using the fear of long-term health issues as a negotiating tactic or is it real? I’m not sure, but if anyone gives Rice big-time money this summer, they will need a high level of assurance that the hip does not present a long-term issue.”

Seifert brings up a good point. Rice has consistently been injured one way or another since entering the league. However, there simply is too much talent in this guy to let him go. With teams such as the Bears one big threat away from being a true competitor in this division the Vikings can’t take the risk of no resigning Rice. Expect Rice to visit a couple teams but to sign a long term deal with the Vikings shortly after.